Chelsea Transfer News: Virgil van Dijk Not for Sale Amid Latest Rumours

Southampton executive director Les Reed has said the club's star players will not be sold this summer, including rumoured Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City target Virgil van Dijk.

According to George Elek of the Evening Standard, he told Sky Sports:

"None of those players are for sale. I can't make it any plainer than that and that's the way we mean to go forward. We built this squad over some time and think we have a strong squad.

"We will fine-tune it, but, other than that, we are looking forward to a very competitive season next year and we plan to go forward on that basis."

According to Elek, the Blues are interested in signing Van Dijk, particularly after failing to make any progress in their pursuit of Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci, while Liverpool have had to withdraw their interest in the Dutchman after the Saints accused them of tapping him up.

City have also been linked, with Neil Moxley of the Sunday People (via the Mirror) having reported they were set to land his signature ahead of their rivals in a sensational £60 million deal.

Liverpool writer Leanne Prescott believes the Reds should still pursue the centre-back despite the problems they encountered earlier, and at an even higher price:

Meanwhile, Bleacher Report's Dean Jones believes despite Southampton's resolve not to part with him, the Blues might still be able to land him before the end of the summer:

Only Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United boasted a better defence than Chelsea last year as they won the Premier League title, but there's still room for improvement in their back three, and Van Dijk would be an upgrade on Gary Cahill.

While the 25-year-old missed the second half of the campaign through injury, his form since joining Southampton from Celtic in 2015 has shown him to be among the best defenders in the league, particularly outside the top six.

He's a robust and powerful defender who has the physicality to allow him to shine in the Premier League both on the ground and in the air, but he's also an assured presence in possession, and he anticipates danger well too.

Van Dijk would make a fine addition to any of the sides interested in him, either improving an already-strong back line at Stamford Bridge or providing a fairly dramatic upgrade on the options available at Anfield or the Etihad Stadium.

How much he's worth will be a divisive subject among supporters, but in the current market and with Saints determined to keep hold of him, it likely would take a phenomenal sum to test their resolve this summer.